During Africa Partnership Station's first visit to East Africa, crew members of the USS Robert G. Bradley will conduct partner building activities with militaries in Mozambique, Djibouti, Kenya, and Tanzania, as part of an initiative to improve maritime safety and security.

Rear Admiral William Loeffler, director of Policy, Resources and Strategy for U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, talked with media on February 7, 2009, in Maputo Mozambique.

"We have commenced the first APS visit on the east coast of Africa with the visit of the USS Robert G. Bradley," said Loeffler. "Our efforts here are to help improve maritime safety and security in Mozambique (and East Africa)."

APS began in October 2007 with the deployment of USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) to West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. The program has since become an enduring mission.

"Africa Partnership Station is about sustained engagement, which is why USS Robert G. Bradley began its (APS) mission in West Africa in November, and is now the first U.S. warship to tie up pier-side in Maputo and the first time APS has expanded beyond West and Central Africa," said Loeffler. "This is also the first visit of a U.S. Naval admiral in recent history, which is an indication of how important we view our Naval relationship with Mozambique."

While in port, the ship will conduct small boat operations and maintenance training, as well as visit, board, search and seizure training.

"After USS Robert G. Bradley departs Maputo it will continue its APS engagements along the East Coast of Africa, stopping in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania," added Loeffler. "The ship will also embark naval personnel from Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania to ride the ship as it transits along the East Coast."

Aboard the ship, the embarked sailors will have opportunities to participate in various training events and routine ship operations.

Loeffler emphasized the scale of the program by describing how the amphibious landing ship USS Nashville (LPD 13) is also part of the APS mission and is in Dakar, Senegal this week. Nashville includes a large international staff and will visit Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria over the next four months in order to conduct similar training engagements.

During the media event, Loeffler also spoke about the U.S. Navy's national maritime strategy and how a key aspect of that strategy is global maritime partnerships.

"International cooperative (maritime) security engagements are performed throughout the world, we have similar partnership initiatives in the Pacific, South America and the Black Sea" said Loeffler.

He explained that APS is currently led by the U.S. Navy, in conjunction with international partners from Africa, Europe and South America.

"We will only be able to achieve a safe and secure maritime environment by working to build partnerships now. Programs like APS help to build trust and cooperation among all participating nations as well as build positive relationships that will last for years to come," said Loeffler.